Egg carton



Sept. 23, 1941.

1 sCHwARTzBE-RG 2,256,652

EGG CARTON Filed May 26, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR.

Sept. 23, 1.941. L, scHwARTzBERG 2,256,652.

EGG CARTON Filed May 26, .1959 s sheets-sheet l:e

@ifm

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 23, 1941. L. scHwAR'rzBERG EGG CARTON Filed May 26, 1939 3lShee's-Sheet 3 2. ATTORNEY.

i su (D Tl Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EGGCARTON Louis Schwartzberg, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 26, 1939, Serial No. 275,927

y 1y Claim.

My present invention relates to improvements in egg cartons.

The very considerable business of transporting eggs from producers andcollectors to middlemen and retail distributors is eiiected through theuse of a two compartment case or crate in which are placed layers ofcells separated Vby transverse partitions known as iiats. The tops andbottoms of each stack of cells and ats are further protected byadditional transverse elements known as pads or cushions.

The dimensions and proportions of the above mentioned elements havebecome very definitely xed and standardized by necessities andccnveniences disclosed and developed through a considerable experience,and such dimensions andv proportions have been further iixed by railroadand other shipping regulations.

'Ihe case or crate above referred to has a capacity of thirty dozen eggsWhich puts it in the classification of wholesale distribution as butrelatively few consumers purchase eggs in thirty dozen lots. For theretail trade the middlemen and retail distributors have developed quitea number of different packages which are generally known as egg cartons,and the variety of egg cartons which,- up to the present has provedpreferable, comprises a paper container provided with two parallel rowsof six cells each, adapted to contain a dozen eggs. There is quite alatitude in sizes in commercial eggs and a` great number of diierentvarieties of such cartons have been designed, but the sizes of eggs havenow denitely established cartons of a width which, when iilled with eggsand repacked in the cases or crates, primarily used for containing thecells and flats, leave something like an half inch of vacant space whichrequires the insertion of wedges or other dunnage to prevent themovementof the cartons within the cases or crates and the breakage of thecontents of the cartons.

It will hereafter be seen that my primary object in the production ofthe invention herein disclosed, was to provide a design for a cartonwhich, when packed in cases or crates, would not require the employmentof additional packing elements or dunnage, and, which, at the same time,would retain substantially the same dimension of cell for the receipt oftm eggs which has been determined by experience to be so convenient andnecessary. I have discovered that the additional desired width of cartonto secure the necessary snug t in the cases or crates may be secured bywidening the tops of end and facilitate both the insertion into andwithdrawal of the eggs from the cells..

Almost all of the elements employed by me in my present design have beenemployed in slightly different forms in one or more vof the many priordesigns for egg cartons, but, so far as I know,

not in the same form as I employ those elements and not with the sameresults. For instance, I myself, was one of the iirst to introduce whatis known as double bottoms for such egg cartons but the divers wayshereafter shown in this application in which I provide double bottomsare believed to be speciiically new and have, in each case, specificadvantages. For further instance, it has heretofore been understood thatit was advantageous to maintain the eggs in substantially a verticalposition and in so doing V-shaped cells have been suggested but V-shapedcells, which engage what is known as the belly instead of the point ofthe egg, sacricethe main strengthA of the egg shell, which is able toresist a much greater pressure when acting on the points of the eggsthan would crush the egg when acting upon the sides or belly.

I have also had in mind in designing the here-f in disclosed structure,the-provision of egg cartons which will continue to have the manydesirable features of cartons now upon the market, such as strength,foldability, easy assembly and economy in materialv and manufacturingoperations, aswell as securing the main objects which are the productionof a carton which may be snugly packed in an egg case or crate and theproduction of a carton which will permit the easier introduction intothe cells during the filling operation and withdrawal of the eggs fromthe cells after the carton has been iilled.

I have attained the aforementioned objects and results in the productionof egg cartons by means of the structure illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 is a blank or development which may be folded,as hereafter described, to provide one form of complete carton, with theexception of the central, longitudinal partition.

Fig. 2 is a blank of a suitable central, longitudinal partition for thecartons villustrated and described in this application.

7 are transverse diagrams illus-V Fig. 8 is an horizontal section onsection linel 8-8 of Fig. 9 showing assembly of central, longi--`tudinal partition with cells and Fig. 9 is a vertical, longitudinalsection online 9-9 of Fig. 8 illustrating a like assembly toV that shownin Fig. 8. 1

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout therespective views. 1 As will be seen most clearly from an vinspection oi'Figs. 1 Aand 3, the longitudinal strip III atthe right end 'of the blankis'glued to about the middle of theflongitudinal strip designated bythereference character 20.

The longitudinal stripsy .II and upper wall of the false bottomWheri'the longitudinal stripsare folded andA respectively designated bysuccessive numbers `as shown' in Figs. 1 and 3. These'strips I I and I'Iare slit in a desired manner',such as is shown at IIa and I 1a, Yfor thepurpos'e'iofk making the topor tops of the double bottom more springyand resilient for holding'the eggs and preserving themi-rom damagethrough Vjar or sudden movement. Y

The transverse cross partitions I9 vare integrall with the longitudinalstrips I8 and .20'through the,triangular-connecting piecesl9a and thefour sided opposite connecting pieces I9b. It will be seenL particularlyfrom an inspection of Fig. 3,

that the longitudinal strips I8 and 29, betweenwhi'ch the transverse;crossV partitions I 9 extend,

are ofsubstantially the same width but as .the`

strip I8 extends upwardly from the top of the double bottom; and thestrip 120 extends downwardly to 'the bottom ofthe double bottom, theportions .ofthe .transverseV cross partitions at the opening sides ofthe cartonare materially lower than the portions ofthe transverse crosspartitions which co'nnectwith the part of the carton from .whichthecover fswin'gs. ByV this slight change in Structure of thetransversecross par.

titions I9, I l arnenabled ,to easilyincrease the width of vthe topfor'vthe purposesheretofore vmenc tioned and'give greater supportK4to'the eggs and at the same time make it actually Veasier to put theeggs in and to take'them outof the cells.v vIt will, lof course, berealized that the' insertion of the longitudinal partition 25 into theslots ofand ,between the cross partitions I9 cause the cross partitionsI9 to be swung from an horizontal position, as Shown in Fig. l, togavertical position,` as shown in Figs. 3, v8 and9. f

Each of tlflei'fransv'erse cross partitions 'I9 areV slotted downwardlyfrom their upper edges, asrat Igel, to accommodate the upper portion ofthe transverse longitudinal partition`25, shown separately in Fig. 2,and in assembly in Figs. 8 and 9.

s The longitudinal transverse partition is for the l further purpose ofdefinitely positioning and furnishing greater rigidity tothe transversecross partitions I9. Between the'portions'of the longitudinal transversepartition which intersects with the transverse crossfpartitions I 9, vIhave provided arcuate recesses 25a so asfto disclose a nf ferm .the

greater extent of contained eggs and render them more easily insertedand withdrawn. In Fig. 3 it will be seen that the lower edge portion ofthe longitudinal transverse partition extends below the lower edge ofthe transverse cross partitions I9 and below the top walls II and I1 ofthe double bottom. This lower extended portion at the recesses providedfor the reception of the transverse cross partitions I9 is provided withhooks 25h to engage the lower edges of the transverse cross partitionsI9. A f

As will be seen from an examination of Figs. 2

and 9, the shapes of the recesses in the longitudinal transversepartition 25, for the receipt of portions of the transverse crosspartitions I9, are of different shapes with the hooks 25D extendingindifferent directions. The shapes of the ref cesses I have found byexperience to be most dependably .effective and the direction of thehooks f2 provided. Y.

25h is such that the hooks at the ends of the strip face towardthecenter and that the remainder of the hooks are in such a direction thatafter the depression of the transverse cross partitions I9, by insertionof f the longitudinal transverse partition 25, a slight reverse movementof the inserted .partition hooks. Y

In Figg, I have shown a central support for the'top wallof the doublebottom formed by gluing a T-shaped fold 2lb in the bottom wall 2in., tolthe top wall Ia of the' double bottom. Y

In Fig. 5 I have shown how a double bottom can be provided by making alongitudinal, out'- will vcause an engagement ofthe wardly facingchannel 2Ic-l in the carton bot-r tom Z'Idxg Y In Figs. 6 and 7 I haveshown double bottoms quite similar to the:V double bottom shown in Fig.3 except in Figs. 6 and 7.the doublebottomsrare formed of differentpieces of material instead of being integralV with Vthe rest -of thecarton. .fInv

both Figs. 6 and 7 the double bottomsare glued in the cartons. In Fig. 6no slot is provided for receiving the lower edge of the longitudinaltransverse partition 25 andin Fig. 'l such-.a slot` is .Cartonsmade fromof carton` material ina'ccordance with the-illustrations anddescriptions herein contained, will be found to be sturdy and dependablecontainersr for eggs which will 'lt snugly, Iwithoutextra dunnage orpacking, in. standard egg cases y01':

crates. Thewider top of such cartonssufcing to secure such VVsnugness offit while the greater extent and manner of disposal of transverse crossl partitions, together with the size of bottom lfound desirable byexperience, serves toholdand support the individual eggs upon theirendsV without exerting any pressure whatsoever upon their bellies. Mypresent carton is sondesigned that automatic machinery .capable 7ofcuttingY and folding the blanks, which class of machinery is alreadywell known, may be arranged formaking the cartons automatically. t

Having described my invention what I claim lnew and desire yto secure byLetters Patent is:

An "egg carton, comprising a blank having:

transverse rfold lines defining a plurality of longitudinal strips, saidblank being foldable to form front and back walls of unequal height saidwalls being outwardly inclined withrrespect to the vertical and withrespect to each other with they rear wall higher than the front wall,one of said Y longitudinal strips being wider than the. bottom of.said'carton extending between and integrali 'Wlth' both-the higher topedge of the rear wall quite a number of gauges y and the lower top frontedge of the front Wall, certain of said integral, longitudinal stripscomsaid integral longitudinal strip being cut to proprising a pluralbottom, one of the layers comvide a plurality of cross partitions havingslots in prising said plural bottom being centrally folded their upperedges and a separate longitudinal so as to constitute a central,longitudinal brace transverse partition provided with apertures in 5between said layers. its lower edge adapted to cooperate with saidtransverse cross partitions and the slots therein, LOUIS SCHWARTZBERG.

